Read 1 Corinthians 9:1-27

 

   Some Corinthians were questioning Paul’s authority and rights as an apostle, so Paul gave his credentials: He actually saw and talked with the resurrected Christ, who called him to be an apostle (Acts 9). Such credentials make the advice he gives in this letter more persuasive. In 2 Corinthians 10 thru 13, Paul defends his apostleship in greater detail. 
Changed lives were the evidence that God was using Paul. Does your faith have an impact on others? You can be a life-changer, helping others grow spiritually, if you dedicate yourself to being used by God and letting Him make you effective. 

   Paul uses himself as an illustration of giving up personal rights. Paul had the right to hospitality, to be married, and to be paid for his work. But he willingly gave up these rights to win people to Christ. When your focus is living for Christ, your rights become comparatively unimportant. 

 

   Jesus said that workers deserve their wages (Luke 10). Paul echoes this thought and urges the church to be sure to pay their Christian workers. We have the responsibility to care for our pastors, teachers, and other spiritual leaders. It is our duty to see that those who serve us in the ministry are fairly and adequately compensated. 

 

   Preaching the Gospel was Paul’s gift and calling, and he said he couldn’t stop preaching even if he wanted to. Paul was driven by the desire to do what God wanted, using his gifts for God’s glory. What special gifts has God given you? Are you motivated, like Paul, to honor God with your gifts? 

 

   Paul gives several important principles for ministry in this chapter: 1) Find common ground with those you contact; 2) avoid a know-it-all attitude; 3) make others feel accepted; 4) be sensitive to their needs and concerns; and 5) look for opportunities to tell them about Christ. These principles are just as valid for us as they were for Paul. 

 

   At times we must even give up something good in order to do what God wants. Each person’s special duties determine the discipline and denial that he or she must accept. Without a goal, discipline is nothing but self-punishment. With the goal of pleasing God, our denial seems like nothing compared to the eternal, imperishable reward that will be ours. 
When Paul says he might be disqualified, he does not mean that he could lose his salvation but rather that he could lose his privilege of telling others about Christ. It is easy to tell others how to live and then not to take our own advice. We must be careful to practice what we preach. 

 

   Winning a race requires purpose and discipline. Paul uses this illustration to explain that the Christian life takes hard work, self-denial, and grueling preparation. As Christians, we are running toward our heavenly reward. The essential disciplines of prayer, Bible study, and worship equip us to run with vigor and stamina. Don’t merely observe from the grandstand; don’t just turn out to jog a couple of laps each morning. Train diligently: your spiritual progress depends on it. 

 

   The Christian life involves both freedom and discipline. The goals of Paul’s life were to glorify God and bring people to Christ. Thus, he stayed free of any philosophical position or material entanglement that might sidetrack him, while he strictly disciplined himself to carry out his goal. For Paul, both freedom and discipline were important tools to be used in God’s service.